Draft rigging key



. Aug. 5,1952 -w, BYRD 2,605,667

DRAFT RIGGING KEY Filed July -l6, 1948 Patented Aug. 5, 1 952 UNITED STATE RIGGING KEY Walter A. Byrd,.vicksburg, Miss, assignor of one- I half to. J ames D. Thames, Vicksburg, Miss. a

Application July 1 1948, Serial No. 29,144

This invention relates to an improved draft rigging for railway cars and more particularly to a novel cross-key for such rigging.

Heretofore, it has been usual practice to lock the keys of draw bars in position each by a simple pin inserted transversely through the forward end of the key and, in turn, secured against displacement by a conventional cotter key. However,experience has'proven that the cotter key becomes worn, rusted,or for other reasons, not infrequently displaced, with the result that the pin likewise becomes displaced tofree the draw bar key, often with disastrous results.

An object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a draw bar key having a novel latch which, when released, will gravitate to active position at a, right angle to the key locking the key againstretraction, wherein means will be provided for locking the latch in active position, and also wherein means will be provided for normally securing the latch in inactive position aligned with the key so that the key may be readily inserted through the usual aligned slots provided to receive the key. I

A further object of the inventionis to provide a key embodying means to alleviate sticking or freezing, as the latter is popularly called, of the key in the slots of the draft rigging, wherein said means will provide, after the. key is' installed, combined air ducts anddrainage channels to afford ventilation as well as the release of moisture from between the parts,,-wherein said channels will, before the key is installed, serve to receive tie wires securing the latch in inactive position, and wherein, after. the key is installed and it is desired to remove the key, said channels will also serve to receive a U-shaped 'clip which may be temporarily applied to secure the latch in inactive. position so that the keymay be withdrawn. 1

And the invention seeks, as a still further object, to provide means whereby the key, assuming it to be stuck or frozen in place, may be retractively started or, in other words, initially loosened, so that the key may be subsequently withdrawn without difficulty.

Other and incidental objectswill appear during the course of the followin'g description of the invention, and in thedrawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a draft rigging showing, at the left, installed key before the latch thereof is released and, at the right, an installed key'having the latch thereof released.

Figure 2 latches of 'both keys in" active position.

li j an edge elevation showing the 1 2 Claims. (01. -3)

Figure 3 is a, section on the line 3-3 of Figure l.

Figure 4 is a section like Figure -3-but takenat one of the tie wires for the latch of the key. Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 1. Figure 6 is a perspective view of a typical key. Figure 7 is a perspective view of a clip provided to facilitate the removal of the key.

The structural details of any particular draft rigging are not of special import to the present invention, as such details vary widely, but all, in so far as I am aware, employ cross-keys for securing the draft bar in position. I have, therefore, shown as typical, only a pair of channeled side bars Ill which slidably receive a draft bar ll provided at its forward end with a conventional coupler [2. As will be understood, the foregoing structure may, in actual practice, appear in sundry physical embodiments, differing in aspect as well as detail. As is usual, the side bars l9 and draft bar H are provided with slots l3 which may be aligned to receive draft keys, now to be described.

Removably inserted through the aligned slots l3 are draft keys, each indicated as a whole at M, two being shown. However, the exact number of keys employed is immaterial, and I do not wish to be limited in this respect. As for the predominate features of said keys, each in: cludes an oblong body l5, rectangular in cross section and having flat'upper and lower parallel faces as well as flat parallel side edges. Formed on the body I5 at its rear end is a preferably circular head It, but however, the exact shape of the head may be varied.

Considering now a single key [4 in detail, it will be noted, as particularly shown in Figure 6 of the drawings, that the body l5 thereof is formed near its forward end with transverse notches I! located near the inner ends of a pair of confronting jaws l8. These jaws are provided with wedge-shaped heads l9 having inwardly converging beveled inner edges 20. Defining the jaws I8 is a longitudinal slot 2| medially of the body, which slotextends rearwardly; from the notches l'l.

Journaled upon'the body 15 of the key is a latch 22 having an oblong body adapted to freely fit in the slot 2| and provided at its forward end with a dove-tailed head23 normally received freely between the inclined edges 20 of the heads IQ of the jaws l8. Thus,when in inactive position, the latch 22 lies within the lines of thebody said latch will normally swing bygravity to active over and above the thickness of the body of the latch itself, and also provide stops adapted to coact with the jaws I8 for limiting the latch against forward displacement should-either end portion of the pin 25 become sheared. As will.

be perceived, the latch with its trunnions maybe readily installed from either side face of the body of the key.

Formed in the upper and lower faces of the body l5 of the key are spacedparallelchannels 25 opening through the head 1-6. Like matching channels '21 are formed in -the upper and lower.

faces of the latch 22. Allof said channels may be of any approved depth and width.

The channels 26 are provided primarily as ducts adaptedto permit a flow of air'between the body I5 of the key and the side bars l0 and draw bar ll tending to ventilate the contacting surfaces thereof and retard sticking or freezing of the key'. Also, these channels, primarily, will further provide for drainage of moisture from between the parts.

Mounted upon the headlii of the key are diametrically spaced jack screws 28 which'may or may not, optionally, be a part of the permanent installation of the key. In any event, the threaded openings for the screws will be present in the head so that, assuming the screws to be installed, said. screws may be turned to coact with the adjacent side bar for starting the retraction of the'key somewhat and breaking the seal-sticking of the key, after which the key may be removed in the usual manner.

In the present instance, the'ch'annels'Zfi and 21 are further employed'as a means facilitating the securing of the latch 22 in inactive position flush with the body '15 'of'the key. To this end, tie wires 29 are employed. These-wires are inserted through the head l6 to lie in the'channels 26 and 21 and "embrace the latch 22, being twisted together at'their ends at th'eouter side of the head. The tie wires will thus lie flush with the body'and latch at opposite sides thereof so that the key may be readily inserted'through thematching slots l3 of the draft rigging, after which the tie wires may be cut and removed to permit the latch 22 to swing downwardly toactive position.

To facilitate the removal of the key, I further provide-a U-s'hapedclip 30, shownin detail in Figure 7 of the drawings. This clip may be formed of wire or other suitablematerial and is of a size to fit the body of the key lying within anupperand lower pair of-the-channels 26 and matching channels 21. Thus, after thelatch22 has-been swung to inactive p'osition, the clip may be' applied for'holding the latch "inactive, .so that the key may be withdrawn. i

In view of the foregoing,ionly a little further description seems necessary. The keys M with the tie wires 29 thereon-are initially inserted through the slots J3, after which the wires are removed, when th at e -2 il automat ca y swin to ac in posi on. 'gasshown in Fi ure black-ins --displa cmsm 7.9 t he. :ke i'Eer ed.

.ing jaws, a latch freely received in said slot and "pivoted between said jaws, said latch being weighted. to normally gravitate to active position extendin'gatanangle to the body, aligned trunnions-rigidlyfixed to the latch and extending laterally from the side edges of the latch, a pivot .pinv extending through said jaws, latch and trunnions pivotally mounting the latch and normally alone sustainingall of the forward and-rear thrust on the latch when the key is in use, and shoulders carried by the jaws toconfront said trunnions and spaced apart to freely receive and accommodate the'trunn ions therebetween as well as permit the latch to be bodily installed in said slot from either side face of the body, .said shoulders-beingnormally out of contact with the trunnions to prevent sticking of the trunnions against said houlders but closely confronting said trunnionsto provide pairs offor-ward and rear emergency stops disposed for selective engagement by said trunnions when displaced .by shearing of said -.pin andadapted to-limit said displacement. r

2. A key for draft rigging including an oblong rectangular body having flat side faces .andprovided at one end with a head and at its oppi site end with a medial longitudinal slot opening through the side faces of" the a body and defining at opposite sides of said slot a pair of confronting jaws, a latch freelyreceived in said slot and pivoted between said jaws, said latch being weighted at its forward end to normallyigra-vitate-to active position extendingaat an angleto the body, 1 aligned trunnionsyinte'gral with the latch and extending laterally fromthe sideedges of the'latch, and a:pivot pin extendingthrough said jaws, latch'and trunnions pivotally mounting thelatch and normally alonesustaining all of theiforw'ardiand'rear"thrust on the latch when the key-is in use,"said'j'aws"being formed at their inner edges with notches. freely accommodating said: trunnions and opening into said slot as well as through the side faces'of' the body'topermit the latchto be 'bodily installed insaid sloti'from either sideface ofthebody, the. sidewalls ofsaid notches providing shoulders normally out of contact with said trunnions-to prevent "sticking. of. the trunnions against said shoulders but closely confronting-said trunnions to provide pairs of forward and rear'emergency stops disposedfor selective engagement by said trunnions when displaced by shearing of said pin and adaptedto limit said displacement.

- WALTER A. BYRD.

:REFERENGES omen v The following referenceS -are of "record in'the file. of thispatentz UNITED-STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 723,252 Dosch Mar. .24, 19-03 her se ame; i i 7 Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Worthen Jan. 11, 1910 Rowe Apr. 5, 1910 Clapp May 5, 1914 Armstrong Sept. 27, 1921 Kelso Dec. 6, 1921 Hubener Dec. 30, 1924 Kadel Jan. 12, 1926 Ward July 1, 1930 Number Number Name Date Hurst Apr. 21, 1931 Jacobus May 12, 1931 Byron Oct. 17, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain 1873 Switzerland Oct. 16, 1922 Great Britain May 13, 1926 

